Electrical switch.



F. J. BACKSCHEIDER.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. I9I3.

Patented Dec.- 4, 191'(l` tain new-.aud useful Improvementin Elec- UNITED sinrns PATENT onnon.

FRANK J'. BACKSCI-EIDER, CTNGINNATI, OHIO.

ELECTRICAL sW'ITc'H.

Application led June 30, 1913. Serial No. 776,518.

To ull whom t may concern: Be it known that I, FRANK J. BAC1 scrinium, e citizen of theUnited States, 1e-

Siding in Cincinnati,' in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certrical Switches, of which the following is a full, cler,and enact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings,

form-ing part of this specification.

.` My inventionrelates to electrlcal switches for the' instanteneous'making or breaking of the .electrical'circuig and particularlyA 4to such a. Switch in which-the circuit automatically and instantaneously underv predetermined conditions.4

The'object of my invention is to provide broken -s uch a. switch of eilicientl and d urable construction, and one which is especially adaptedto luse in connection with .my new clutch as described in. application for Letters Pat- 71e,1oo filed by ent of the United States, Serial Number me on August 31, 1912.

In the drawings:V e iFigure 1 is a section through the casing of my new switch,.m ost parts of the switch itself being shown 1n elevation;

Fig. 2 is a 'section on line a-a of Fig. 1; Fig 3 is a plan of the contacts; FigS 4 is a detail of the rocking frame and mova le'contacts; Fig. '5 is a detail of the tension spring forautomatic disconnection;

' Fig. i is another detail of said spring. The numeral 1 indicates a. portion of the casing of a portable toolin connection with the use Vof which I have illustrated my new switch in the drawings. Mounted in saidcasing is the'armature 2 having a shaft 3. Power from. 4 said shaft is transmitted through the clutch members 4 and 5. The driving, or' positive member, 4, of said clutch -is keyed 'onto the armature shaft, and, therefore', rotatestherewith 'and is slidable theref on.f-Thedr 1v'en, or negative member, 5, .1s

on lthe spindle' 6. A coil spring 7 normally i i holdsthe clutch members in contact. The

H the recession of member l sion of spring 7.

engaging faces ofthe members are, however, of such form that, when the spindl'c is overloaded, the' clutch members will separate by Vagainst the tn- Onfthe casing 1 the boi: 8 is mounted,

within which my'new switch is housed. In

th end of said box the handle 9 of the pore Specification of Letters Patent.

ball bearin member 4 -of hereinafter set forth;

,thefshaft 14 is the operating.lever'23,1the

Patented Dee.4,1 91'7 said sihaft is the. rocking which extends through 5 of 'said frame is a shaft 14., ri'gid in the frame;- Rotais prevented, and it will thusthe turning of the bolt will-65.

is composed of two side the upper edges being generally 'straightg-but provided withmddle notches, and the sides converging downwardly -'1 from 'the upper edges, theA acute angles. being, however,

slightly rounded olf. ing frame are in Fig. 1. side plates of the 'framef15,' near the bottom thereof, is a sleeve 16; said sleeve has' a collar y17 which abuts against oneof the plates and' The sides of 4said rockjoined at the bottom as shown' A 4Inserted in perfor-ations' in the' assists in maintainingrigidjty- -m the at-i tachment of thef sleeve in' the `rocking frame, and prevents' the `insertion ther than will bring the edthereof even with the outer. edge f the oppositelside plate. Inslde the sleeve 16 is aj plunger :18'

which is providedwitli a, socket 1 9V forth@ e 20. InterPOsed betwee'thso socket sh'ou der and theend' of' sleeve; 16 ieg. a 'coil 'spring 21, which'causestheiball 20" toy restnormally I ivotally mounte .on

shaft 1 4 projecting beyond the side of rframe 101for such sur-pose, The 'upper'end o'f said- .through 'an-opening in the lever exten free end of seid V'sleeve extendiiigto the side plate of frame' 15, the opening 1n sleeves' 16:1..

and 24 being' adapted 'to' register :when 'the sleevesai-e -in alin'eme'nt. In the sleeve 24 is a pin 25 provided with y:thead 'which abuts against a shoulderinthe sleeve. The -other l end ofsaid pin is rounded and ahnte-when' head of thepinjrests against the shoulthe der, against the end of the plunger 18,i the pin by extending intol the Iend of sleeve 16 thus operatively connecting the operating' plug 26 is threaded so that the tension of spring 27 may beadjusted.

Rotatably 'mountetl'on a floating shaft 28 arerollers 29, said rollers being ada ted to ride on the upper edges of the side p etes' ofthe rockingframe 15; the floating shaft being anchored tothe shaft 14 by means of a coil spring 30. Als'o mountedon said floating shaft,A are contact rollers 31 and-32, each of which is composed of a peripheralmetal portion 33' and an'intervening layer o'f 1nsulating material 34 between the same and,

the hub;l contacts are therefore made inde.-A

pendently through each roller. `Secured to .40 in the opposite direction.

the frame 10 are fixed contacts 35, 36, 37 and 38, these are arranged in pairs, 'the contact plates being separated by non-eonduc' tive material 39. As shown in Fig. lthe contact plates extend above the intervening material 39, and thereby form, with the intervening material, a` gi'ooved trac'kfor each of 4the rollers 31 and 32,l the metal flanges of the rollers being adapted -to enter between the Contact plates and to contact therewith in the manner illustrated. The contact plates are connected by wiring as shown in l? ig. 3 so that by making contacts by means of rollers 31 and 32 with plates and--36 the motor will be driven in one direction, and by making such contacts with plates 37 and 38 'it will be reversed.

-Rotatably mounted in the fra-nie 10 i s a shaft 40 -to which is securedV an operating arm 41 a pair of depending arms 42 and 43 is also rigidly secured to said shaft, the arm 42 being adapted, uponthe 'proper rocking of the shaft 40 to rest vagainst one side of the floating shaft 28, and the arm 43 to determined, the arm 41 is thrown in the re- -side of the rockin quired direction, for instance 4to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, where it will be locked by the st d- 45. The arm 43 will then rest against the fioatin shaft preventing its movement in, the irect-ion of its abutment so that the contacts can be moved 44 on arm 43 will also rest againsjt the upperv frame and 'allow it to rock only in one irection, that is, to the position shownin broken lines-in Fig. 2. It will thus 'be seen that the movement of the operating lever is now limited tomovement in the direction required to makethe necessary contactsfor the forward drive of the motor'. The arm 41 having been thus set,

' the operating lever is 'thrown in the required direction to the ition shown .by broken lines in -Fig.- 2. uring such movement of the lever the rocking frame 15 is.rocked, by reason' of the engagement of pin 25with sleeve 16, to the position 'also shown by broken lines in Fig. 2. `While thus rockin the rollers 29 ride upon the upper edges o the side plates, movement in the direction of the .movement of the rocking frame being 8o only to one set of fixed contacts; the stop prevented bythe arm 43, and theA fioating shaft is' forced awa-y from the shaft 14 in4 creasing the tensionY of spring 30'.' lVhen the movement of the frame 15 brings thecorneis of the' plates past the bearing ofthe rollers 29 'on the `frame, the sprin 30 will instantaneously draw the floatingl aft downward, the rollers 29 riding on the inclined side edges of the plates, and the -contact rollers 32 and 33 will be thrown intolthe 'fixed contacts. When 'the' circuit' 'is thus rest against thc same upon rocking the shaft On each of the arms 42 and 43 is a stop 44 adapted to rest` against the upper edge of the rocking frame l5 when the frame is in neutral, or olf position, as shown in full linesin Fig. 2, and the arm bearing the operative stop is resting against the floating shaft. 'lli'e operating arin 41 extends through a slot iii the switch box so that it may be manually operated and the arms 42 and 43 appropriately. rocked. Studs 45 are provided on' thc frame 10.; one of these Studs engages a perforatioii in the arm 41 when it reaches the limit of its movement iu either direct-ion :uid locks the saine. Similar studs, or catches 46 are provided on the switch box lo lock the operating lever Wound around a thickened portion of the shaft 14 is a heavy coil spring 47. Fixedly of the rollers 29 riding ii n- Athe .rollers 29; then the spring 'will lsn'apcompleted the opera-ting lever its locked in the open position bythe stud 46'ns above explained. In breaking the circuit the lever is thrown back, the. contact rollel byreason-` e moving side edges of the plates of rame 15, recede"4 in a horizontal direction, the; contacts being, continuously' maintained during such reces-r sion byfreason of the length of vthe fixed con-i tacts, until the corners of the frnme'15 pass the fioatingshaft back to its bearing against the arm 43,;when the contact will be broken and the rollers 20 will'rest in the notches in the upper edges of the side plates. To reverse the motor, the arm -41 is thrown in the opposite direction, after which 'the operating ,lever isalso thrown in the' same directioi'rfthe operation being otherwise the same '13o' as above described, except that the roller contacts are thrown into the opposite fixed contacts.

When the circuit in either direction has been made by my nevi-switch by the manual operation of the lever 23 as above set forth, such circuit willbe automatically and instantaneously broken under predetermined conditions in the following manner. During the rocking of the frame 15 the spring 47 is wound up, so to speak, by the sleeve 16 which carries one end of the spring around with it, the other end thereof being held stationary bythe bar 49. Thus there is a tension against the sleeve tending to force it, and the frame'l back to the off position. When the spindle 6 is overloaded the memberl l of the clutch will. recede against spring 7, as above set forth, and the flange 22 will in such movement strike the bearin 20 thus forcing back the. plunger 18, which in turn will push back the' pin 25 against the tension of spring 27. As soon as the rounded end of pin 25 is'pushed slightly out of end of sleeve 16, the. spring 47 will throw the rocking frame to the off position, the pin being forced all the way out of sleeve 16 by reason ofA the pins rounded end, which acts as a cam when the curve is reached. "When the rocking frame is thus thrown automatically to the off position, the contacts are, of course, in-

stantaneously broken in the manner above set forth. It will be seen that this automatic action is the same whether the motor is driven forward or on the reverse, as both endslbf the spring 47 are adapted to act on-` the sleeve' 16 and throw the rocking lframe 15. By means of bolt 12 the Contact of flange 22 with the bearing 20'may be properl timed, as will be readily seen.

Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An electrical switch comprising fixed contacts, a floatin member, movable oontacts on saidfloating member and adapted i Vto engage said fixed' contacts, a tension tacts.

2. An electrical switch comprising fixed contacts, said contacts being wired for fori-- ward and reverse circuits, a floating mem,- ber, movable contacts on said floating inem- 4ber and adapted to engage V the forward or reverse fixed contacts, a tension member, said floating member being secured to said tension member, a rocking frame, said frame being adapted to serve as a support. for said floating member when the switch is in off position,- and tomove t-he same against the tension or' said tension member when rocked in either direction and to release the same when under.- tension, whereby said movable contacts are caused to engage either the forward or reverse fixedcontacts'.

3. An electrical switch comprising fixed contacts, said contacts being wired for forward and reverse circuits, a fioating member, movable contacts on said floating inem- I ber and adapted to engage the forward or reverse fixed contacts, a tension member,

said floating member being secured to said tension member, a rockin'g frame, said frame being adapted to serve as a support for said floating member when the switch is-in off po'" sition, and to move the same against the Q i' tension of said tension member when rocked-, ,-,v

in either direction,'and to release the saine ber toward either said forward or reverse fixed contacts rto prevent qontac'tjthei'ewithr 4. An electrical switchV comprising fixed contacts, af floating member, movable'. coii-y tacts onl said floating membera-nd adapted to-engage said fixed contacts, a tension mem,

ber, said floating member being secured'. to.4 said tension member, a 'rocking frame, saidv frame being adapted to serve as a. 'support for said floating memberwhen the switch', is in ofi' position, and to movek the saineagainst the tension of said tension' member when rocliedl and to release the same when,

under tension, whereby said movable coii- .y f tacts are caused to engage said'fixed com` tacts, means whereby said rocking frame,

is placed under tension during such engagement, means to lock said frame in position during such engagement, and means to release said frame whereby said movable con- L t-acts may be automatically thrown out of' engagement with said fixed contacts. by the return of said frame.

5. An electrical switch comprising fixed contacts, said contacts being wired for forward and reverse' circuits, a floating member, movable contacts on said floating inem lier and adapted to engage the forward `or reverse fixed contacts, a tension member said floating member bein secured to sai tension member, a rocking rame, said frame being adapted to serve as a support for vsaid floating member when the switch is in off pol .sition, and to move the same against the tension of said tension member when rocked in either direction and to release the same when under tension, whereby said movable contacts are caused to engage either Vthe forward or reverse fixed contacts, means where by said rockin" frame is placed under tension during su I engagement, means to lock said frame in position durin such en age- V ment and means to release sai frame, w ereby said movable contacts may automatically thrown out of engagement with said forward or reverse fixed contacts by. the return of said frame.

6. An electrical switch coinprisinl fixed contacts, said contacts being wired' or for ward and reversecircuits, a floating meml ber,` movable contacts on said floating membei and adapted to engage the forward or reverse fixedcontacts, a tension member, said floatingmember beinor secured to said tension member, a rocking frame, said 'frame said movable contacts may be automatically thrown out of engagement with said. forward or reverse fixed contacts bythe return f said frame, and means to block the move ment of said movable contacts toward either said forward or reverse fixed contacts to prevent contact therewith.

7. An velectrical switch comprisin fixed contacts, a floating member, movab e contacts on said floating member and adapted t; engage said fixed contacts, a tension memsaid said oating member being secured to tension membler, a rocking frame, said 'lock said frame in position durin frame being adapted to serve as a support for said floating member when the switch is in ofi' position, .1nd to move the same against the tension of said tension member when rocked and to Vrelease the same when under tension, whereby said movable contacts are caused to engage said fixed contacts, means whereby said rocking frame is placed under tension during such engagement, means to such engagement, and means automatica ly to release said rocking frame whereby said movable contacts may be thrown out of engagement with said fixed contacts.

8. An electrical switch comprisin contacts, afloating tacts on said floating member and adapted to engage said fixed contacts, a tension membar, said Heating member being secured "to said tension member a. rocking frame, said frame being adapted for said floating member when the switch is in off position, and to move the same against the tension of said tension member when rocked'and to release the same when' under tension, whereby said movable contacts arel caused to-,eilgage said fixed contacts, means whereby said rocking frame is placed under tension during such engagement, means to lockpsaid frame in position during such engagement, means automatically to release Vsaid rocking frame whereby said movable contacts may be thrown out of engagement with said fixed contacts, and means for the adjustment of said automatic release.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20 day of June, 1913.

FRANK J. BACKSCHEIDER. v A Witnesses:

An'rHUR H. EWALD, Fnnnx J. WENDELN.

fixed member, movab e conto serve as a support 

